Car Insurance Laws

State minimum insurance requirements in California

In California, the state minimum coverage requirement is liability with limits of:

Bodily Injury $15,000 per person

Bodily Injury $30,000 per accident

Property Damage $5,000 per accident

Optional coverage in California (varies by carrier):

Comprehensive

Collision

Loan/Lease Payoff

Medical and Funeral Services

Rental Car Reimbursement

Roadside Assistance

Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury

Uninsured Motorist Property Damage

Liability coverage is legally required in California and pays for injury and lost wages that you cause to another driver or their passengers as well as damage to the other driver’s vehicle in the event that you are considered “at fault” in an accident. The coverage limits are determined by each individual state and normally split into three categories. In California, the minimum is listed as 15/30/5 and explained below:

$15,000 bodily injury coverage per person. This is the maximum dollar amount that pays for a single person that you injure in an auto accident.

$30,000 bodily injury coverage per accident. This is the maximum dollar amount that pays for all injuries that you cause in an accident if more than one person is hurt.

$5,000 property damage per accident. This is the maximum dollar amount that pays for damage that you cause in an accident.

These numbers reflect the minimum limits required in California but higher coverage amounts are available with most companies.

Top California Car Insurance Companies

The Zebra compares over 200 companies & 1,800 products, so you can save way more than 15%.

Car Insurance FAQs

Are digital insurance cards accepted in California?

Yes

What does this mean for you?

If you happen to find yourself pulled over by a police officer in California you won't have to rifle through your glovebox wondering if you remembered to replace that expired insurance card last month. Instead, you can provide proof of coverage with your smartphone.

Do I need uninsured motorist coverage in California?

Uninsured Drivers in California

California

15%

Nationwide

12%

Did you know?

Uninsured motorist coverage protects you from damage caused by other drivers without insurance and hit-and-runs.

More questions?

Check out other FAQs and ask your own California car insurance questions here.

Driving Laws

California Texting and Driving Laws

Ban on hand-held cell phones

Ban on all cell phones for school bus drivers and novice drivers <18 years

Ban on text messaging for all drivers

Alcohol Related Fatalities

803

Per Year in California

Annual DUI Arrests

California

214,828

US Average

23,438

DUI Legal Limit

0.08%

Blood Alcohol Content

Average DUI Cost

10k

Nationally, For First Offenders

What does this mean for you?

Driving with a blood alcohol content higher than the number above will put you at risk of being arrested for driving under the influence. If arrested you’ll face harsh consequences and may face varying degrees of jail time, fines, driver’s license suspensions, and reinstatement requirements.

If convicted of a DUI, you can expect the financial obligations to extend beyond the DUI ticket to court costs, attorney fees, higher insurance rates, and potentially the installation of a Ignition Interlock Device to serve as a breathalyzer test each time you start your vehicle.

Cheap Car Insurance

It's expensive to get car insurance in California!

Dang! California is definitely not one of the cheapest states for car insurance. Dont worry, we got your back!

At The Zebra we're all about helping you save money on car insurance. Since California might have cheaper premiums that makes our job a breeze! It's easy to get started—we just need some basic information.

The fact that texting and driving is dangerous isn’t news to anyone—the dangers of distracted driving are well documented, and...

California Tour Guide Scholarship

At The Zebra, we know better than most just what a pain buying car insurance can be. We also know that students suffer from higher-than-average policy rates. Talk about a double-whammy. That’s why, this year, we’ve decided to continue The Zebra’s annual scholarship with the goal of helping to alleviate the financial pressures of college-bound students in the California area, while also getting an insider view of the Golden State.

Prompt

So, California students, we want to see your favorite road trip destination(s) in your state— from your unique perspective. If it makes sense to hit the open road and be our virtual tour guide, that’s great! But there are no limits to what we’re looking for: a narrated animation, a slideshow of memorabilia, an illustrated map of the best roadside attractions on the way. This is a chance for you to showcase any place you love in as an original way as possible.

Please Note:

The length of the road trip to your feature destination is inconsequential. So if you have an awesome spot in mind that’s just two miles from home, we want to see it.

Qualifications:

Applicants must be currently enrolled at or planning to attend a four-year university, graduate program, community college, or trade school located in the continental United States. Upon notification, winner(s) must supply a current proof of enrollment or letter of acceptance.

How to Apply:

Entrants should create an original video not exceeding 2 minutes. Each video submission must be hosted on YouTube or Vimeo, and should be submitted by email to scholarships@thezebra.com.

Details

Applications must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. CST on December 31st, 2017.

Winner(s) will be selected and notified by e-mail by January 31st, 2018.

Submissions will be judged by The Zebra and the winner will be selected based on creativity in the content and presentation.

Upon notification, winner(s) must also supply a current proof of enrollment at a four-year university, graduate program, community college, or trade school located in the continental United States.

Fine Print

By participating, entrants represent that the video submitted is their sole and original work and does not infringe the intellectual property rights of any other party. In other words, no copyrighted music or images may be used.

Employees of The Zebra and their immediate family members are not eligible to participate in the contest.

Written credits for any technical or talent positions (e.g., editor, director, actors) should be included with your submission, along with any sources used to create the video.